Can I Get My Sofa Repaired?

Question

I spent $1,198 on my leather-and-vinyl sofa, so you can imagine how upset I was when the back of the headrest began to crack. But I had about 10 months to go on my fabric-protection plan, so I wasn't worried. Guardsman, the company that issued the plan, sent an inspector to my home and then, nine months later, denied my claim because the cracks were the result of soil buildup. How could the back of a sofa suffer soil buildup, when no one ever touches that spot? Can you help?

 Vickie Sullivan, Tempe, AZ

Answer

When GH Institute textile experts saw photos of your damaged sofa, they agreed that soil was an unlikely culprit. So we contacted Guardsman, which recited a litany of other reasons for denying the claim: Vinyl isn't covered (it is); your cats did it (they didn't); you never provided a receipt (you'd never been told to, and sent one when we asked). The company then said your claim should have been denied because the cracks came from "wear and tear," which isn't covered. But because your case had been so bungled, we were able to get you a $1,198 store credit.

Fabric-protection plans reimburse customers for accidental damage  a pen puncture or food spill  not wear and tear. The manufacturer's warranty covers that. That's why you need to know what is covered (and what isn't) before buying one of these plans. Also, save your receipts in case you need to file a claim. If you don't hear from the company within a week after an inspection, call customer service. Reshma Memon Yaqub

Do you have a consumer gripe and need us to come to your rescue? E-mail the details to GHtotheRescue@hearst.com. Please include your daytime phone number.

Good Housekeeping already has an account with this email address. Link your account to use Facebook to sign in to Good Housekeeping. To insure we protect your account, please fill in your password below.

Your information has been saved and an account has been created for you giving you full access to everything goodhousekeeping.com and Hearst Digital Media Network have to offer. To change your username and/or password or complete your profile, click here.